Visible index or reference device



May 8, 1923. 1,454,653

J. H. RAND. JR

VISIBLE INDEX OR REFERENCE DEVICE Filed Jan. 5 1920 3 SheetsSheet 1 k= a m L- .J.

May 8, 1923.

J. H. RAND, JR

VISIBLE INDEX OR REFERENCE DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 He. /Z.

w %CAZMEJ May 8, 1923.

J. H. RAND. JR

VISIBLE INDEX OR REFERENCE DEVICE Filed Jan. 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IHIIIIIF .Illllllllll J H. BAND, JR, OF TONAWANDA, NEW YORK.

VISIBLE OE REFERENCE DEVICE.

Application filed January 5, 1920. Serial No. 349,608.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, James H. RAND, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residin at Tonawanda, in the county of Erie and tate of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Visible Index or Reference Devices, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates-to visible card index or reference devices of that type in which a series of cards or elements bearing information are arranged in an overlapping series with portions of the several cards or elements exposed to view one above another. More particularly, the invention re lates to devices of this sort in which the reference cards or elements are retained in pockets or holders from which the cards or elements can be removed, and which are mounted on a supporting frame or member so as to expose margins of the cards or elements as explained, and are hinged or movable so that one or more of the holders can be raised to expose to view the underlying reference card or element.

The object of the invention is to improve devices of this character in the various respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a reduced front elevation of a supporting frame or member provided with reference cards or elements and holders embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevation thereof showing a front view of one of the holders and reference card or element therein.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on a still larger scale of the upper portion of one of the holders.

'Fig. f is a fragmentary face view of the lower portion of one of the holders indicating the manner of inserting the referen e card or element therein.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section thereof on line 55, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the lower portion of two of the overlapping holders.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the upper portion of two adjacent holders.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of one of the holders and a card therein showing the card turned down to expose its rear side.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary face view of the lower portion of the holder and card, the latter being of a slightly modified form and partially broken away to show the hinge for the lower portion of the holder.

' Fig. 10 is a face view of one of the holders with the modified form of card therein.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lower portion thereof.

Fig. 12 is a face view of one of the holders showing the same provided with reference cards or elements on both the front and rear sides thereof.

Fig. 13 is a view showing the holder turned up to expose the card on the rear side thereof.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical section on line 14-44, Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a face view of a card holder of modified construction showing the two parts thereof separated.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary face view of said holder showing the parts connected.

Fig. 17 is a face view of a plurality ofcard holders and reference cards or elements, one of the latter being partly broken awa to disclose the colored border of the hol er.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary similar view showing the use ofholders having borders of difierent colors.

Fig. 19 is a similar view showing holders having their exposed margins divided into sections of contrasting colors. I

Figure 2-0 is a detached view of one of the reference cards or elements used with the holders shown in Fig. 19. i

. A represents a supportin frame or member of any usual or suitable sort on which the reference cards or elements B and the holders or pockets C for the same are mounted in an overlapping arrangement, so that the lower margins of the several cards or elements are exposed to view one above another, which exposed portions are adapted to bear names or other matter indicating the nature or information on the cards or elements. Preferably the supporting frame or member is provided at its opposite edges with inwardly extending flanges a forming guide grooves in which laterally projecting lugs 0 at the upper corners of the holders extend for retainingthe holders on the supporting frame or member A, and each holder G is provided at its upper marginal portions with a tongue 0', adapted to engage over the upper edge of the next holder below for interlocking the several holders with each other, and spacing the holders so as to provide the parallel exposed lower margins of the holdersand reference cards or elements. The tongues 0 shown consist of separate strips secured by staples on the backs of the holders C at the upper edges thereof and the ends of these tongues project beyond the ends of the holders forming the lugs 0 for retaining the holders on the supporting 'frame. The body of the holder is made of paper or other suitable material and is provided at its free edge or edge opposite to that where the tongue 0 is located with a folded sheath or cover strip of celluloid, or other suitable transparent material D, which embraces the edge of the body and is secured thereto by staples or metal stitches 03 passing through the two folds of the celluloid strip and the intervening body sheet of the holder. The back fold or part d of the celluloid sheath is preferably wider than the front fold and projects farther up from the edge of the holder, as shown in Figs. 6 and 9. The staples (Z are located near the ends of the celluloid sheath and are arranged parallel with the free edge of the holder and the longitudinal edges of the sheath, and are located between the upper and lower edges of the front fold of the sheath, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 9. This arrangement of the staples materially facilitates the insertion of the reference cards or slips B into the holder because one end of the card can be readily sli ped between the body of the holder and the front wall of the sheath above the staple at one end, as represented in Fig. 4, and the card then pushed end wise into place in the holder until it is seated in the sheath between the two staples, as shown in Fig. 2. It is much easier to insert the card in this way than in a prior construction in which the staples extend vertically or over the upper edge of the sheath so that the card is required to be first inserted into the sheath at a point between the two staples. The reference cards are made of a length substantially equal to the distance between the two staples or so that the staples engage the opposite end portions of the cards and serve as guides to retain the cards in the holders with the vertical edges of the several cards in direct alinement with each other, thus materially adding to the neat, attractive appearance of the device.

The staples of are also located with reference to the free edge of the holder so that when' the holders are in the intended overlapping position. on the supporting frame or member A the staples of one holder are below the lower edge of the next holder above, as shown in Fig. 2. One holder therefore does not lie or bear against the staples of the next holder and this enables the free edges of the holders to lie closer to the supporting frame or member than if one holder rested in front of and against the staples of the next holder.

The front wall or fold of the celluloid sheath is preferably formed so as to lie close to the body of the holder at its upper edge and to bulge or project outwardly from the body of the holder below the line of the two Staples cl, thus forming an openended pocket 03 in front of the body of the holder into which one or more narrow index slips can be inserted, as represented in Fig. 6. These bulging or pocket portions of the sheaths for the several holders are disposed one below the other so that they do not increase the extent to which the free edges of the holders project outwardly from the face of the supporting frame or memher A.

In order to prevent the buckling or wrinkling of the holder, due to an unequal shrinking or expansion of the celluloid sheath and body of the holder, the sheath is provided with elongated slots or holes d for the passage of the securing staples, see Figs. 4 and 5. These slots permit a sufficient relative movement between the sheath and the body of the holder to compensate for any unequal expansion or contraction of the two parts. 1

Each holder C is scored or indented at its upper portion adjacent to the tongue 0 to form a crease and enable the holder to swing as on a hinge connection relative to the tongue, so that each holder can be lifted to expose the reference card or element in the underlyin holder. The score marks or indentations forming this hinge are preferably pressed into the rear face of the body sheet of the holder so that the projections formed by the indentations are ,on the front face of the holder, leaving the rear face thereof smooth or free from projections, see Fig. 7. The rear faces of the holders are thus left smooth and the projections formed by the indentations do not interfere with the ready insertion of the edge of one holder between the tongue and body of the next holder as would be the case if the projections were on the rear face of the holder.

The card can be retained in the holder in any convenient Way, for instance by inserting the upper corners of the card into corner slits F in the body of the holder. These slits prevent the lower edge of the card from disengagement from the sheath D unless the upper corners of the card are first removed from the slits F. The cards may also be provided at opposite ends adjacent to their lower edges with notches G, see Figs. 9-11. The staples d for the sheaths D in this case mamas ence cards or elements so that information can be written on the rear or reverse face thereof. To permit such use of the reference cards or elements'the lower or free edges of the holders C are scored or creased at H, see Figs. 8 and 9, above the rear wall of the celluloid sheath so that the lower portion of the holder can hinge on the main portion of the holder and permit the reference card or element to be turned downwardly to bring its rear side to the front, as shown in Fig. 8. To permit this reversal of the reference card or element relative to the holder, it is necessary to leave the upper edge of the card detached from the holder and in order to retain the card in the sheath when thus inverting it, the card is preferably provided at its opposite ends near its lower edges with the notches G before mentioned, into which staples at project. When it is not desired to invert the card as explained, its upper corners can be engaged with the slits F in the holder and the slits then cooperate with the staples d and notches G to retain the card in the holder and hold the hinged lower portion of-the holder rigid with the body portion thereof.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 12-14, the holder is also punched to provide a tongue or flapal y at its upper portion between the slits F.

providing this tongue or flap, two reference cards or elements can be retained on each holder, one on the front and the other on the rear side thereof, the front card being held in place by the front wall of the sheath D and the slits F and the rear card being retained in, place by the rear wall of the sheath and the tongue or flap I. The card on the rear side of the holder can be used or examined by swinging the holder upwardly on its hinge E, as shown in Fig. 13.

The holders can also, if desired, be provided with a central opening or window K, shown in Fig. 10, through which the rear face of the card on the front of the holder can be examined, or can be used for writing card carried thereby information thereon.

Figs. 15 and 16 show a holder similar. to that above described except that the holder consists of two sections, the main section betachably connected in any convenient way, for instance by providing the upper section L of the holder with slits Z and forming the lower section L with tongues or lugs Z at its upper corners adapted to be inserted into the slits las indicated in Fig. 16. These twosection holders can be made in other respects similar to the holders above described so as to embody the several functions of the latter.

The holders C are preferably provided with colored borders at their lower free edges and opposite ends, as best seen in Fig. 17. The borders'are not shownin some of the figures of the drawings in order not to confuse the showing of other features in these figures. These borders can be readily printed on the body sheets of the holders and can be of any desired color contrasting with the color of the remainder of the body sheets. The borders can be made of the same color as the supporting frame or of a color that tones therewith, so that the exposed lower margins of the holders and their end margins will match the remainder of the device and present an attractive appearance. The borders can be printed to produce a desired effect with any particular frame or furniture with which the holders are to be used and the desired effects can be secured when it is impossible to obtain material of the desirable color for making the holders. The colored borders of the holders are also utilized in co-operation with the index cards or elements to convey desired information or give a desired clas-' card overlies and, hides the border at the lower margin of the card holder except where the same is ex osed to view through the aperture M in all; card. By notching difi'erent cards at different points along their lower edges the colored borders of the holders will be exposed through the notches of the various cards at one point or another between the ends of the holders, as indicated in Fig. 19. The severalcards which are notched at corresponding points and expose the colored borders of the holders in the same line one above another will indicate one classification, while other cards having the notches located at a different point-and exposing the colored margins of the holders in a different position will represent anotherclassification. If desired the border at the lower margin of the holders can be printed in sections of contrasting colors, as shown in Fig. 19', these sections on m being equal in extent to the length of the notches in the staples, said staples extending parallel with CAI cards. When the cards having the notches in different locations are in position in the holders havin the contrasting color sections, the car s having the notches located in line with each other in one position will expose to view the same color, while other cards having a different disposition of the notches will expose to View different colors. These different colors thus indicate a desired classification of the reference cards or elements.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, transparent cover strips on said exposed margins, staples securing theopposite ends of said cover strips to the holders, and cards retained on said holders with their lower edges under said cover strips between said the lower edges of the holders to stiffen the corners of the holders and cooperating with the opposite ends of the cards to hold the cards in substantial alinement with each other.

2. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, transparent cover strips on said exposed margins, staples securing the opposite ends of said cover strips to the holders; and cards retained on said holders with their lower edges under said cover strips between said staples, said staples extending between and parallel with the upper and lower edges of the covers to facilitate the insertion of the cards under said covers.

3. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, transparent cover strips on said exposed margins, staples securing the opposite ends of said cover strips to the holders, and cards retained on said hol ders with their lower edges under said cover strips between said. staples, said staples extending parallel with the lower edges of the holders and the staples on one holder being located below the lower edge of the overlying holder.

4:. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order withdsheir horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, transparent cover strips folded over the exposed lower edges of the holders and having a back fold which is wider than its front fold, common means fastening said front and back folds to said holder, and means fastening said back fold to the holder above the upper edge of said front fold.

5. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, transparent cover strips folded over the exposed lower edges of the holders, the front fold of each cover strip being bulged outwardly from theholder below its upper edge to form a pocket adapted to receive one or more slips, and means fastening the front and back folds of said cover strips to said holders.

6. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with corresponding margins exposed one above another, the lower portions of said holders being hinged and adapted to turn backwardly, card-retaining means on said hingedlower portions ofthe holders, and cards held by said retaining means, whereby the cards can be inverted without removing them from the holders.

7. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, transparent cover strips on said exposed margins, and cards retained on the front sides of said holders by-said cover strips,

the lower portions of said holders carrying said cover strips being hinged, whereby the cards can be inverted without removing them from the holders.

8. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another,

transparent cover strips on said exposed margins, staples securing the cover strips to the holders, and cards on said holders with their lower edges under said cover strips, said cards having notches into which said staples project for retaining the cards on the holders, the lower portions of said holders carrying the cover strips being hinged, whereby the cards can be reversed without removing them from the holders.

9. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, cards on opposite sides of each holder, retaining means at the lower edge of said holder engaging the lower edges of the cards, said holders having a cut portion for the reception of the upper portion of, the card on one side of the holder and another cut portion for the reception of the upper portion of the card on the opposite side of the holder for holding said cards in engagement with the retaining means at the lower edge of the holder.

10. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal pearance, and cards retained on said holderslower margins exposed one above another, cards on opposite sides of each holder, retaining means at the lower edge of said holder engaging the lower edges of the cards, said holder having cuts for the reception of the upper corners of the card on one side of the holder and a center flap for engaging the card on the other side of the holder for holding said cards in engagement with the retaining means at the lower edge of the holder. 7

11. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins-exposed one above another, said holders having borders contrasting in color with the bodies of the holders to give distinctive color throughout.

12. In an index or reference device, th combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, the exposed margins of said holders having colored borders, and cards retained on said holders with their lower margins exposed, said exposed margins of the cards having apertures through which portions of said borders of the card holders are exposed to provide color signals.

13. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, the exposed margins of said holders having colored borders, and cards retained on said holders with their lower margins exposed, said exposed margins of the cards having apertures through which portions of said borders of the card holders are exposed to provide color signals, said apertures being difi'erently disposed on different cards of the series to indicate the classification of the cards by the disposition'of said exposed color signals.

14. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower mar ins exposed one above another, the expose margins of said holders having different sections thereof of contrasting apand overlying said exposed margins of the holders, said cards having apertures differ entlydisposed on different cards to expose one or another of said contrasting color sections.

15. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another, said card holders having tongues on their rear sides and being nested with one edge of one holder between the body and'the tongue of the next holder, said holders having indentations forming a hinged portion on each holder, and said indentation being pressed into the rear faces of the holders whereby said rear faces are smooth and do not interfere with the nesting of the holder.

16. In an index or reference device, the combination of card holders arranged in ower margins exposed one above another, said holders comprising nested interlockin portions for, retaining the holders in said overlapping order, and removable portions detachably secured to said interlocking portions.

17. In an index or reference device, the combination of a support, a plurality of card holders, means for retaining said'holders on the support in overlapping order with corresponding margins exposed to view one above another and being free to swing ,forwardly, said free margins being hinged to adapt them to be turned backwardly with reference to the other ortions of the holders, and cards attach to said hinged free margins, whereby the cards can be inverted to expose their rear sides without being removed from the holders.

18. In an index or reference device, the

.combination of card holders arranged in overlapping order with their horizontal lower margins exposed one above another,

said holders comprising nested interlocking portions for retaining the holders in said overlapping order, and removable portions detachably secured to saidinterlocking portions, said holders having hinged portions adjacent said interlocking portions whereby said detachable portions may be swung or lifted relatively to said interlocked ortions.

Witness my hand this 9th day of her, 1919.

PEARL Km, .E. P. GRAY.

overlapping order with their horizontal the same effect in series as card holders of 1 Decem- 

